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2 year old Labrador suspected bone tumour
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14 December 2015
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14 December 2015 - 3:17 pm
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Hi I'm from the UK and found this really helpful website/forum.

So,my 2 year old Labrador has had an intermittent bad limp for a while and then 2 weeks ago had a swelling on the same leg. We'd been referred to an orthopedic vet hospital as vet suspected elbow dysplasia before swelling turned up. Had first appt last week and after examination was told it was likely that it was a bone tumour (oesteosarcoma). So he stayed in and had X rays and then a bone biopsy as they were unable to give a firm diagnosis with just blood test and X Ray. Nothing seems to have spread to his lungs or lymph glands yet luckily.
So we have been in touch with the vets today and they said they still can't give us a diagnosis from the bone biopsy 😞 so they are still unsure whether it is a tumour (more likely) or a severe bone infection (less likely)
Options are:
a) another bone biopsy which is extremely painful for him. They will take bigger piece of bone it this time but again we may not get definitive diagnosis as tissue surrounding possible tumour is reactive (?) and we have to wait at least a week for results which takes us to Christmas week...or
b) leg amputation. Which seems drastic if it isn't a tumour and I would be devastated to take his leg off if it wasn't this. 

Although if it is an infection or might be untreatable anyway as would be severe so he might need an amputation anyway... I just don't want to think I made the wrong decision?!

Just wondering if anyone had any similar expeiriences or advice??
Thanks

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Green Bay, WI
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14 December 2015 - 7:46 pm
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Hi and welcome....we had a somewhat similar experience with our Dobe, Nitro. His right front ankle was swollen, and he started to limp back in April-ish of 2014.  The x-ray showed something, they weren't sure if it was infection or tumor, so he had a bone biopsy. This came back inconclusive, and they scheduled another biopsy, with bigger chunks, just like you're describing. This time they took 3 samples; one of the three came back "sarcoma, fibrous variety". We didn't want to take a chance that the leg would pathologically fracture, and we weren't ready to say goodbye (he was 8 1/2 yrs at the time), so we scheduled the amp surgery for june 17, 2014. It took 5 weeks for the leg biopsy to come back after surgery, and they then said it was osteosarcoma. I have my doubts, think it probably was fibrous, but that's another story. Bottom line, is, he's doing great, 18 months later, and we don't regret our decision for one second! The recovery was scary, and stressful, but we have a happy, active dog. The decision is not an easy one, and shouldn't be taken lightly, but do know that they do so well on 3 legs....just read all the stories here. This place saved my life last summer and I'm so grateful! Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide.

Paula and NItro

Nitro 11 1/2  yr old Doberman; right front amp June 2014. Had 6 doses carboplatin, followed by metronomic therapy. Rocked it on 3 legs for over 3 years! My Warrior beat cancer, but couldn't beat old age. He crossed the Bridge peacefully on July 25, 2017, with dignity and on his terms.  Follow his blog entitled "Doberman's journey"

http://nitro.tripawds.com

"Be good, mama loves you".....run free my beautiful Warrior

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Livermore, CA


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14 December 2015 - 10:01 pm
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I just wanted to welcome you to the site. My pug Maggie had a different type of cancer, mast cell, and there was no doubt about the diagnosis.

My question to the vet would be based on the info available is there any chance that if it is an infection can it be cured without amputation.

Another idea- can you have another vet or a specialist review the xrays? Has an oncologist reviewed the xrays?  I've often heard here that xrays of osteosarcoma are very distinct.

This is a difficult decision to make even when you are sure about the cancer, I'm sorry you don't have a certain diagnosis.

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

 

Find me now on Tripawds Circle

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Schofield, WI
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14 December 2015 - 10:24 pm
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We had much the same story as you.  We however were told chances are if it was a fungal infection the treatment would still be amputation too.  We as many others did here proceeded with amputation because they were 95% sure it was osteosarcoma and we didn't want to risk the pathological fracture of having the bone biopsy.  It did turn out to be osteosarcoma.  Karen is right our vet told us osteosarcoma very much shows a certain way on an X-ray which is likely why they told you it was probably that.  I do think the thought of amputation without a real diagnosis of cancer is so hard for people to contemplate that is why they offer the bone biopsy which still doesn't always give a definitive diagnosis.  Plus more dollars for them 🤔  I'm so sorry you are having to go through this.  We know what a kick in the stomach this is.  We did the amputation to get our Max out of pain.  Mission accomplished and we have followed up with 4 rounds of chemo.  He's back to being his happy doggy self and we are happy with that.  Welcome please keep us posted on your journey and we will all help you in any way we can.

Linda & Max

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14 December 2015 - 11:06 pm
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Thanks for the replies and kind words. I've been awake since 4.45am and had about 4 hours of broken sleep. I feel heartbroken and still unsure about what decision to make for the best. 

I've just been downstairs to see him and he's full of beans. He was even putting pressure on his bad leg which he wasn't doing yesterday. 

I just don't know what to do. I don't want to put him through the pain and also risky second bone biopsy if it's going to mean amputation anyway 😔

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Maryland
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28 March 2015
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15 December 2015 - 4:58 am
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Hi! 

It is always a tough thing to get a possible cancer diagnosis, especially in such a young pup. I know you must be feeling heartbroken but hopefully we can help you through this.

Our Ellie was one of the few pups I've read about here who actually got a confirmed OSA diagnosis w/ a biopsy prior to amputation. She went in for a ACL repair but the surgeon just didn't like what he saw when he exposed the bone so he took samples and closed her up. I think the fact he could sample just the right spot made it possible to get an OSA diagnosis from the biopsy. But most people have your experience it seems, going through the biopsy and still not getting an answer.

I think getting a second vet's read on the x-rays might be really good. Is there a teaching hospital or specialty clinic that you have access to? If you get a consensus then that can give you some comfort. And it does seem like bone cancer is very distinct on x-rays. I am not a vet and I only have my experience here on tripawds to guide me, but I don't think I've read of a dog here where it turned out to be a fungal infection. I'm sure it happens, but I suspect it doesn't happen often. 

Amputation seems so drastic, but especially with such a young dog you'd probably be surprised at well he would manage as a tripawd. Nobody would choose amputation if they didn't have to, but amputation removes the source of pain and removes the chance that the bone will get so diseased it will break. If amputation is going to be required regardless, then you cannot look back regardless of the final diagnosis. You're doing what is best for him, right now, with the information you have. The decision will be made out of love so it will be the right decision.

Denise, Bill and Angel Ellie.

Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise

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On The Road


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15 December 2015 - 10:30 am
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Two years old is so young, he has so much living to do. Have you seen Bart the Vizsla's story? He was diagnosed at around that age and went on to have a great life.

Keep in mind that the longer you wait, and the longer he puts pressure on that leg, the greater the risk of pathologic fracture, which is a horrible situation that nobody should ever go through (but they do occasionally, we've seen it here and it's awful). It's best to decide soon, in consult with your vets, who sound great.

Hugs to you, I know this isn't easy.

Tripawds Founders Jim and Rene
tripawds.com | tripawds.org | bemoredog.net | triday.pet

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Norene, TN
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21 October 2014
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15 December 2015 - 12:22 pm
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Howdy and welcome!

I have a soft spot for Labs and can tell you from experience, they're very good at hiding their pain. Our Harmony limped on and off for nearly 3 years before we finally got a diagnosis of MCT. It's so very difficult to gauge their pain level when they're happy by nature. We really had no clue that it was serious until she started pacing at night.

I'm glad you found us!

pam

Harmony became a Tripawd on 10/21/14 (MCT). She left us way too soon on 11/1/14.

"We miss you so much; our love, our heart, our Harmony."

- Pam, Ron and Melody, Meesha, Doublestuff and Mariah Carey

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15 December 2015 - 1:15 pm
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thanks so much for all the replies...

so today we went back to the vet hospital (it's a University of Cambridge vet school) and had a 90 minute consultation with our vet. I also got to speak to one of the senior vets too who gave me his 2nd opinion (which was pretty much the same as our assigned vet).

I went in this morning kind of erring towards an amputation as I was reluctant for him to undergo another invasive and potentially painful procedure. However he was so much better this morning, had more energy and was putting pressure on his leg. His limp didn't seem so pronounced. The student vet examined him and said the boney swelling on his leg felt the same as last week when we took him in.

We talked about options and the vets advised me that the 2nd biopsy would be the best option for Scooby as they are still unsure of a true diagnosis. He had bloods taken today and they came back within 'normal parameters' - surely his white cell count would be elevated if he had cancer? or maybe I'm reading too much into it.

He will have a chest CT scan done first tomorrow to check for metastasis and if they can't see anything they will proceed with the bone biopsy (which will take at least a week for results way-confused) and if they do find anything suspicious on his chest they will go straight to an amputation without doing the bone biopsy (as no point really!)

So  he's there tonight and I know he's in good hands so I will try and shut off tonight and not think about it too much (I wish!) Fingers crossed that everything goes well tomorrow.

Thanks so much to all those who responded. Lovely to hear from you.

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Michigan
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2 April 2013
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15 December 2015 - 8:16 pm
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Murphy had been limping for a couple of months before his biopsy.  He had x-rays done after a couple of weeks, but we were told by the radiologist that they looked fine, no problem.  Our vet wasn't sure, he thought he saw something, but since Murphy hadn't been medicated for the x-rays (I guess since Murphy was on pain medication so therefor was weight-bearing on the leg they figured he was fine & didn't have a fracture, so they did just a quick set of x-rays) the x-rays were a little bit blurry.  On medication Murphy could walk and acted almost normal, but once he ran out he would yelp and stop eating and refused to go outside.  We finally got a referral for the orthopedic specialist.  They did a thorough exam, watched him walk, did x-rays then wanted to do a biopsy - same thing as you - it could be a fungal or bacterial infection.  Of course that was my hope.  We waited, but the results were inconclusive.  A month later, when they repeated the x-rays, you could see that the tumor had eaten away more of the bone.  They offered to repeat the biopsy, but we declined and just went ahead with the surgery.  I really wish I knew then what we know now, we never would have done the biopsy in the first place.  It's a painful procedure and is often inconclusive.  Odds are that it's not an infection, the doctors know from experience what cancer looks like.  We all hope that they're wrong, we really want it to be something simple, not that horrid c word. 

We definitely do not regret, not for one minute, the fact that we went ahead with the surgery.  We have been extremely lucky, and we know that Murphy has far surpassed all odds.  It's been over 2 1/2 years since his surgery and he's still hopping around, barking, driving us crazy about not eating, chasing squirrels and loving us.

Scooby will recover from surgery, he will be pain-free and that is always the goal.  The recovery takes a little bit of time, the first couple of weeks is the hardest, but it gets easier.

Donna

Donna, Glenn & Murphy 

Murphy had his right front leg amputated due to histiocytic sarcoma at 7 years old. He survived 4 years, 2 months & 1 week, only to be taken by hemangiosarcoma at 11 1/2 years 6/12/17  
Read about Murphy's Life on Three Legs

Donna.png

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20 September 2015
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16 December 2015 - 8:47 pm
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my 20 month old lab has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and will have his rear leg removed tomorrow. I am hoping for a faborable outcome. thank you for your story

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Livermore, CA


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16 December 2015 - 8:59 pm
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Welcome to Tripawds, your future posts will not have to wait for approval.

20 months old!  That is so young, I'm sorry.  Sadly we have had several young pups show up here with OSA.

Best of luck with the surgery tomorrow.

Also, please consider starting your own thread and tell us about your boy.

Karen and the Spirit Pug Girls

Tri-pug Maggie survived a 4.5 year mast cell cancer battle only to be lost to oral melanoma.

1999 to 2010

 

              Maggie's Story                  Amputation and Chemo

 

Find me now on Tripawds Circle

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Maryland
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28 March 2015
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17 December 2015 - 4:18 am
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wigglebutt said
my 20 month old lab has been diagnosed with osteosarcoma and will have his rear leg removed tomorrow. I am hoping for a faborable outcome. thank you for your story

Hi There,

I love your screen name. I've got my own "wigglebutt" right now, especially if he thinks he's going for a walk! 

Bringing home a new amp can be daunting and there are lots of ups and downs in the first few weeks. So please come back and let us know how things are going or just ask for some understanding. We've pretty much all been where you are, so we'll help you and your wigglebutt get through it.

Denise, Bill and Angel Ellie (and Toby Two-Toes too!)

Active 10+ Pyr mix suddenly came up lame with ACL tear in left rear leg. Scheduled for a TPLO but final pre-op x-rays indicated a small suspicious area, possibly OSA, which could have caused the ACL tear. Surgeon opened the knee for TPLO but found soft bone. Biopsy came back positive for OSA. Became a Tripawd 9/18/14. Carbo6 with Cerenia and Fluids. Pain free and living in the moment. Crossed the Bridge on 7/12/15 after probable spread of cancer to her cervical spine. A whole lifetime of memories squeezed into 10 months. Here's her story: Eloise

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18 December 2015 - 11:33 am
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I just wanted to chime in here, as when I first came around a few years ago, there were not as many YOUNG Tripawds, and I had a hard time getting info on how young dogs would do post-amputation.  My dog, Cooper, had his leg amputated at 7 months of age.  We adopted him two weeks after the amputation (long story, but he was returned to the rescue agency with a shattered leg that was inoperable).  It was not cancer, but an accident that caused his leg having to be amputated.

Anyway, if I knew then what I know now!  He has been "Loving Life on 3 Legs " ever since.  The night he came home (a few days after the amputation) the first thing he did was jump up on the foster mom's bed!!  I also have his litter-mate brother, and Cooper can keep right up with him with no problems.  In fact, I have to force him to slow it down!  Cooper is able to jump right into my car, onto and off of furniture (he's allowed), he does stairs faster than any of the other pets in my house (three cats and a dog).  It's true, we do not go for long walks, but other than that, he is better than normal.

So, I want to reassure the parents of younger dogs who need amputation that your dog will be ok, he/she will thrive and will probably be happier not dragging a useless leg around.  I look back at photos of Cooper pre-adoption/pre-amputation, when he had four legs.  And sometimes I get sad, but I didn't know him then, and he is the most amazing animal.  Your dog will be ok.  🙂

Happy holidays,

xoxoxoxo

Tripawds Rule!! superstarsuperstarsuperstar

Cooper (11/11/11 - 3/29/24) was a hound-collie mix "mutt" who was badly injured as a puppy and lost his leg at 7 months of age.  We adopted him after the operation.  He' was wonderful companion and comforting presence in our family for 12 years. He lived a fabulous life on three legs and was an inspiration to all. We will never forget our Coopie-Doopie-Doo.

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14 December 2015
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19 December 2015 - 4:33 am
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Stressing now that I made the wrong decision going for the 2nd bone biopsy.

CT scan showed his chest is clear but one of his lymph nodes is enlarged and the CT scan of his leg looked suspicious so vet reckons still a tumour. Going to have to wait until at least Tuesday/wed for diagnosis from the biopsy. 

Maybe we should have just gone straight for amputation... Really beating myself up 😰

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